


Like Nobody Else

by guremahishin



Category: Persona 4
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 15:38:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6056968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guremahishin/pseuds/guremahishin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Souji and Yousuke take a trip to the city, as a (fairly new) couple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Nobody Else

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bronnichiwa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bronnichiwa/gifts).



It’s been a month, exactly, since Souji and Yousuke agreed to go out. Yousuke is precisely aware of that fact. A month sounds so long but feels so short, and he has yet to really feel adjusted to the idea. He finally came around to the idea that, okay, he  _ really _ likes Souji. Like, a lot. And maybe in a way that’s not platonic, despite all his resistance and very specific protests.

Souji has been more understanding than he probably deserves, really. Yousuke can already look back and cringe at himself plenty. And now Souji is giving him the time to adjust to their relationship, which is probably only fair, but Yousuke does feel a little bad.

So he’s made up his mind he’s going to do a thing or two for Souji.

For one, they could probably stand to at least tell the rest of the Investigation Team. Yousuke won’t be too surprised if some of them have already figured; it’ll be a little unpleasant and he’ll owe some apologies, but they deserve all that, probably. And Souji could stand to let some people know, if he wants to.

They’ll discuss that later, though. Maybe during the first part of his plan. Or after. Yousuke only hopes he’s not projecting too much here.

* * *

 

“We’re...going to the city?”

Souji’s voice is so nondescript that Yousuke can’t tell if that’s a good reaction or not. Or maybe he’s just trying to clarify before reacting at all, but either way, Yousuke gets a little nervous.

“Not if you don’t want to! I just thought, you know...even if you like Inaba, you might miss it a little. And it might be nice to go together, since we--”

He hasn’t decided if he wants to end that with something about them dating now or both having been from there, but seeing Souji’s smile cuts him off anyway.

“I’d love to.”

And that’s all it takes for Yousuke to melt and remember how he gave in and ended up dating this guy in the first place. Though, he has to admit, since giving in to this whole idea, it’s been a lot easier to recognize how enamored he is and take that reaction for what it is. Even if he’s still more than a little bashful about going weak in the knees like this.

* * *

 

Yousuke books the train tickets and a long weekend worth of nights at an inn before Souji can insist on buying his own or anything. That might not stop him from trying to repay Yousuke, but that feels a little easier to combat. Besides, Yousuke has saved up for this. He  _ wants _ to be the one to do something for his boyfriend.

Maybe a month should feel a little early for something like this, and Yousuke did fret about that, but Souji hadn’t seemed bothered. And frankly, they’ve known each other longer than that and been through more than most people in that time. It doesn’t feel very fleeting to Yousuke. He’d like to think he’s right about that feeling, and that maybe it’s mutual too.

In any case, he’s picked a weekend early on in summer break. He wouldn’t mind something a little longer, maybe, but this is a first for them -- though hopefully of many. That and Junes can get busy in the summer, so he’ll take the days off he can get.

He and Souji meet up at the train station, packed bags slung over their shoulders and train tickets in hand. Yousuke’s smile is both excited and a touch nervous when he asks, “Ready, partner?”

Souji nods with a smile and before long, they’ve boarded the train and are on their way. Worked up as Yousuke was - both positively and perhaps a little anxiously - it seems to have worn him out a bit. And how much did he sleep last night anyway? It’s like being a kid, he thinks. But after a bit, the train ride starts to lull him and he ends up dozing against Souji’s shoulder.

Souji doesn’t seem to mind and, in fact, seems to be smiling fondly at Yousuke when he wakes him up in time for their stop. Yousuke thinks to apologize, but he’s a little stunned by that fond look; by the time he comes to himself enough, the moment has passed. At least Souji seemed far from upset.

* * *

 

Yousuke thinks about that a lot.

It’s not the first fond look Souji has given him, probably not by a long shot. But it was...striking, for one reason or another.

Souji is definitely the first person to look at him that way since moving to Inaba, and if he thinks back, he’s not sure he can remember anything that compares from before. He hung out with people, called them friends, and although they probably looked at him kindly enough, it’s nothing worth remembering in detail. He doesn’t remember anything with this amount of sincerity or care or -- hell, love, probably.

And in such a seemingly mundane situation.

Yousuke only hopes that no matter how Souji’s experiences compare, he can at least reflect that amount of fondness back at Souji.

This is something Yousuke lays awake thinking about at the inn that night. They settled in, found someplace to eat dinner, wandered a bit to see what was in the area, and then decided to call it a day. Travel can be tiring, after all.

And maybe the nap on the train has something to do with the fact that Yousuke is the one still lying awake, but it’s that look too, and all the thoughts that came with it. He feels so lucky just to know Souji, and now… now, he’s here. With Souji.

Souji, whom he can hear breathing softly from the other bed in the room. It’s a little unfortunate, but the beds are meant for one person, which isn’t particularly ideal for any cuddling or anything. Maybe that’s for the best; Yousuke’s nervous for a couple of reasons. But it doesn’t mean he wouldn’t want to lay next to his boyfriend and be able to kiss him and--

It’s still a little strange for him to think of another guy this way, but he does want it even hen. Maybe he’ll have the courage before the trip is done.

They spend the next day walking around the city -- enjoying its environment, sightseeing, window shopping, stopping for lunch, stumbling across a movie theatre and picking something that looked interesting. (It isn’t quite as interesting as Yousuke had hoped, and he thinks about the cliche of making out in a movie theatre, but there are people around and who knows if Souji is enjoying the movie? He holds his boyfriend’s hand instead and still enjoys himself.)

Afterwards it’s about time to grab dinner, so they do so while discussing possibilities for tomorrow. They’ll have some of the day, but their train departs in the late afternoon. They agree on a few things to check out and do before that time comes.

Which then leaves tonight.

Walking around the city in the summer heat has left them both in need of a shower, probably, so they return to their room and take their turns rinsing off.

It’s afterwards, as they’re sitting with the tv on, just relaxing, that Yousuke finds the courage to oh-so-nonchalantly try to broach the subjects he’s had on his mind.

“Y’know… I’ve been having a really good time.”

A genuine smile, along with, “So have I.”

Yousuke’s smile, in turn, is at least a little relieved.

“That was the goal! Only my best for my partner.”

He’s beating around the bush a little, purely out of bashfulness for the sincerity of what he wants to express. It’s not like he hasn’t said a number of other objectively mushy things to Souji, but that was before mostly before they’d established this relationship. He wouldn’t have thought it would change much, but there’s some added weight now, probably because of the commitment, he reasons. Which isn’t a bad thing! Just an intimidating one.

“No one’s ever looked at me the way you do, you know? Like...I’m special to them. Like I’m worthwhile and they care.”

Souji doesn’t seem especially fazed by this finally coming out of Yousuke’s mouth, but he’s smiling warmly, fondly when Yousuke looks back at him.

“I look at you that way because all of that’s true.”

He figured as much, or else why would they be here together? But hearing that still makes Yousuke blush a little.

“I, uh… I feel all those things about you too, by the way.”

Souji stands from his place on his own bed to sit next to Yousuke on his, still grinning at him. He’s smiling softly the whole time, and once he’s seated next to Yousuke, he leans in to give him a soft kiss before finally saying, “I know.”

Now that he’s close enough and Souji has already kissed him anyway, Yousuke takes advantages and kisses him again, longer and deeper. And when he pulls back -- probably with some pink to his face -- he decides he may as well also say, “I love you.”

Hearing this seems to actually surprise Souji some, but mostly that means him smiling a little less knowingly and noticeably wider. It’d be impossible not to hear the smile in his voice in the returned, “I love you, too.”

And then the kissing resumes, long and sweet and soft, eventually with open mouths and tongues and nothing, in short, Yousuke would have once envisioned the two of them doing. But now he could do this for hours. Forever.

In the end, he doesn’t know how long they spend, but they fall asleep side by side like he’d thought about. Maybe they have a few sore spots the next morning from the limited sleeping space, but he’s happy for it anyway. They smile at one another once they’re both awake, so Yousuke imagines Souji feels the same.

For as much as they’d like to continue to lie there, they get themselves up, organize their things, check they haven’t left anything behind, and head out to enjoy the last of their time in the city.


End file.
